The present invention relates generally to a positioner for a child being X-rayed and more particularly to improvements in a positioner on a child being X-rayed.
A positioner for a child being X-rayed is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 issued to Jalmer Pigg, Sr. on Aug. 28, 1962, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. While the device described in this patent is effective in positioning a child being X-rayed, several problems have developed with this device.
As best seen in FIG. 2, film holder 62 includes hooks 74 and 76 and X-ray cassette fits between these hooks. Carriage 78 supports the X-ray film cassette. Carriage 78 carries lower hook 76. Latch 80 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 patent is employed to secure carriage 78 at a position after carriage 78 is adjusted upward or downward by an X-ray technician. The problem that has developed with latch 80 is that in tightening the latch 80, the hard surface of the latch 80 is tightened against the hard surface of the film holder 62. The interaction of the two hard surfaces results in ineffective latching. The problem of ineffective latching results in over-tightening of the latch 80, which causes breakage in the film holder 62.
Another problem with the positioner of U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 occurs in the mounting area between the turn table 16 and foot members 48 and 50. Glide strips (not shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832) have been provided between turn table 16 and foot members 48 and 50. Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, when foot members 48 and 50 are secured to glide strips by means of button 52 which is rotatable to affect a wedging action on the respective foot member, the hard slick surface of the foot member cannot be secured effectively to the hard slick surface of the glide strip. This results in the connection slipping, and in some cases, the releasing of the child.
A further problem with the positioner of U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 has developed in the latching mechanism that secures film holder 62 as it is moved towards or away from the upright members 36 and 38 that secure the child. Since the prior latching mechanism is not explicitly shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832, FIG. 8 is provided to clarify it. Referring to FIG. 8, the prior latching mechanism for film holder 62 includes a stop 63 mounted on the upright members 71 of the block 70 into which slide 66 fits, and a bent metal clip 67 mounted on slide 66, the stop 63 interacting with the bent metal clip 67 to hold the film holder 62 in place. The problem that occurs is that the metal clip 67 bends further and loses the ability to hold the film holder 62 in place.
Referring again to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a further problem that has developed with the positioner for a child being X-rayed as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 is that foot members 48 and 50 can vary in thickness. The problem is compounded by the fact that blocks 54 and 56 that support the buttons 52 that are used to secure each foot member 48 and 50 to turn table 16 are cut with a flat top surface. Since blocks 54 and 56 have a flat top surface, there is no way to increase the tightness of the interaction between buttons 52 and foot numbers 48 and 50 as buttons 52 are turned over foot members 48 and 50. Thus, buttons 52 can be ineffective in tightening down on the foot members 48 and 50 because of the variable thickness in foot members 48 and 50.
A further problem in the positioner of U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 has developed in sliding elements 44 and 46, which can be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. Each sliding element is composed of two parts and two screws and/or pins. These parts often separate, which make sliding elements 44 and 46 unusable. Sliding elements 44 and 46 vary greatly in thickness, making it difficult to manufacture and supply replacement parts for sliding elements 44 and 46.
A further problem with the positioner described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 has developed with the device for exposing identifying indicia to the X-ray film 82. The indicia on device 82 are comprised of an x-ray impervious material and are hand-glued to a piece of plexiglass. These letters constantly break loose or break off completely. The loss of the indicia prevent the technician from being able to label the X-ray as from the left or right of the patient or as an inhale or exhale view.
Another problem with the positioner of U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 has developed in the latching mechanism for horse member 22. As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, horse member 22 comprises the seat of the positioner and includes a padded head 24 and a bar 26. A dog 30 is slidably mounted in a holder 32 on the upper face of the turn table 16 for movement into and out of engagement with a selected one of the pawl teeth 28 that are along one side edge of bar 26. The original seat latch consists of some nine parts that are hand cut and fitted from east acrylic sheets. These parts vary in thickness greatly. Additionally, as seen in FIG. 9, a metal pin 31 that facilitates movement of dog 30 into and out of engagement with a selected one of the pawl teeth 28, often bends and locks up the seat latch. Moreover, the variable thickness in the parts of the seat latch made the parts difficult to fit together. This results in constant binding. This combination of problems made the seat latch difficult to operate.
What is needed, then, are improvements in the positioner described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,832 that address these problems. Such improvements are lacking in the prior art.